Kids in Prison: Voices of the Silenced
{ Part 3: John Mosley }
The Mass Incarceration of Children:
Florida locks up kids and throws away the key.
John Mosley is one of the 2,638 currently incarcerated in the state of Florida for crimes he committed as a child.
Here is John's story:
"
My story is that I really was at the wrong place at the wrong time. I was 17 years old when I got arrested. I was at my parents' home getting ready to go to sleep because I had school the next day. It was my senior year of high school. The police came to my parents' home and told my parents that they were just going to question me. The police did not let my parents come, which is illegal, because I was a minor. They violated my rights, coerced me by trying to make me admit to some things I did not do.
Earlier that day 4 boys got arrested for being involved in a crime. They charged me with armed kidnapping, armed robbery, armed carjacking, and sexual battery. Even though the victim in the case said it was 3 boys and a 4th boy did not do anything. They said because I was there is the reason why I got charged with everything that they charged them with.
I got sentenced to 25 years in Duval County. I really do believe the only reason they did me the way that they did me is because my father was fighting 2 murder charges at the same time that I was fighting my case. We had the same prosecutor, at the same time, which made it even more unfair. I don't even have a relationship with my father, and I never have.
Two years later, St. Johns County charged me with principal to false imprisonment and robbery. I got sentenced to 5 years, and they ran it
consecutively
with my sentence from Duval County. My codefendants got their sentences run
concurrently
for a total of 25 years. Due to mine being run consecutively, I ended up with the most time, 30 years.
I am currently trying to get back in court to get it changed to concurrent. Right now, my end of sentence date from prison is 2029. When I get my 2 sentences run together, that would move my date to 2024 or 2025.
It's unfair that I'm still getting punished for something that happened 20 years ago. I'm a changed man, I don't get disciplinary reports and I stay out of trouble. I'm just ready to get out and let everyone see the new me. I was 17, now I'm 37.
John Mosley DC#J28715
"
Food for Thought:
Source: Florida Department of Corrections Annual Report
Dates: July 1, 2021, to June 30, 2022
- HOMICIDE offender admissions average length of sentence = 22.1 years
- Non-homicide sexual offense admissions average length of sentence = 12.7 years
- Non-homicide robbery offense admissions average length of sentence = 7.3 years
- John Mosley, a juvenile non-homicide offender length of sentence = 30 years
- 99.7% of the 2021-2022 admissions were over 18 years of age.
Note: This percentage is calculated by the date of admission to the Department of Corrections and not the age at the time of the offense.
Florida's justice system never ceases to amaze us.
- Why does a non-homicide crime have a longer punishment than a homicide crime?
- Why does a juvenile have a longer punishment than an adult?
- Why does a minor that commits non-homicide offenses, reportedly as a bystander, get sent to prison for 30 years, while an adult homicide offender that takes the life of another human being have a lesser punishment?
Furthermore, let's examine this...
- A Hillsborough band director was sentenced to four years in prison with 10 years probation as a sexual offender for the three first-degree felony counts of unlawful sexual activity with a minor while being an authority figure of the minor.
- According to the initial report, the 35-year-old teacher raped his student over 30 times.
Only 4 years in prison?
An adult teacher mentally, physically, and sexually abuses and rapes his minor student 30 times causing lifelong trauma and is only punished to 4 years in prison.
Meanwhile...
Florida courts are sending CHILDREN to prison for 20, 30, 40, 50, and LIFE sentences for crimes in which NO ONE was hurt, injured, or even harmed?
Make it make sense.
It's undeniably disheartening to witness a justice system that prioritizes punitive measures over genuine rehabilitation, especially when dealing with juveniles. There's a painful irony in the fact that, in some cases, individuals who have committed heinous crimes like child molestation or rape receive relatively lenient sentences, while children who have made mistakes and harmed no one are subjected to disproportionately harsh punishments.
This stark contrast raises important questions about our society's values and the urgent need for reform to ensure that justice truly serves the best interests of all, particularly our youth who deserve guidance, support, and the opportunity for redemption.
Countless Florida children have been locked up for decades longer than necessary.
We are their voice.
Join us in our fight for equal justice and equitable laws for youth involved in the justice system.
Pleadthe8th seeks to educate the public on these injustices and empower communities to take action to reform laws for juveniles. We advocate that all children be entitled to a review mechanism and that children are resentenced to the least permissible, fair, age-appropriate punishment.
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